Improved cushion or mattress



".FETERS, PHOTO-L THOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

LOUIS BAUHOEFER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED CUSHION OR' MATTRESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,945, dated November27, 1866 antedated November 3, 1866.

To all whom fit 'may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis BAUHOEFER, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in Mattresses, Cushions, &c.; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawing, and to theletters ot' reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the combination of a mattress reduced inthickness in t-he center andan air-cushion divided into two or moreseparate compartments, as fully described hereafter, the surface of themattress being thus maintained more uniformly level than when mattressesof the same thickness throughout or airbags having only one compartmentare used.

In order to enable others to apply my invention, I will now proceed todescribe the manv ner of carrying it into effect.

On reference to the accompanying'drawing, which forms a part of thisspecification, Figure lis a longitudinal section of a mattress with myimprovement;` Fig. 2, a section on the line l 2, Fig. l; and Fig. 3, aplan View of the air-bag used with the mattress.

A is a mattress or cushion, which consists of au outer bag or sack, a,of ticking or other suitable fabric, and, an inner lining, a', of asimilar fabric, the edges of which are secured to the sides of the sacka, the space between the two being filled with hair, husks, cork, or anyof the ordinary filling materials, there being less material in thecenter than at the edges of the cushion, for a purpose describedhereafter. i

Both the sack et and lining a are open a one end to allow for theintroduction of a bag, B, of rubber', cloth, or other suitable material,

which, in the present instance, is divided longitudinallyinto twocompartments; and at one end of the bag is a tube, b, into which fits aplug or stopper, c.

The bag is inflated with air, which is introduced through the tube b.The latter is then closed, and the bag is introduced into the mattressto the position shown in Fig. 1, when the mattress is ready for use.

In a mattress or cushion of this description almost any desiredelasticity may be obtained by inilating the bag B to a greater or lessex'.- tent; and, as the bag is divided into compartments, the air cannotbe forced to too great au extent on one side when a weight is placed -onany one point, so that the surface of the mattress is maintained at anearly uniform level. The mattress is prevented from being elevated totoo great au extent in the center in consequence of the iniiation of thebag by reducing the quantity of filling material in the center, asbefore described.

vI am aware that air-bags have heretofore been used with mattresses, asin the invention patented by John Scott, October 18, 1853. In all suchinstances, however, the mattress has been of the same thicknessthroughout, and but a single bag without compartments has been used, sothat the mattress would sink to too great au extent wherever any weightwas placed on the same in consequence of the air being forced, to theopposite side of the bag, while the latter would be rendered entirelyuseless if an opening should be made in any portion. i

It will be seen that, in the above-described mattress, by reducing thequantity of material at the center, or, in other words, making itthicker at the edges, I am enabled to use a bag composed of two layersof rubber, or other material, secured at their edges; whereas if themattress was of the same thickness thro ugh out it would either beelevated too much n the center when the bag was inflated, or it would benecessary to use an air-bag of a box formthat is, having vertical sidesor edges-bags of this construction being expensive and diicult tomake.

It will also be seen that by the use of a bag divided into differentcompartments, or by the use of several bags in one mattress, the air isprevented from escaping tothe side where there is least pressure, andthe destruction ot' the entire bag, should an opening be made in oneportion, is prevented.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Themattress A,in combination with the airbag B,divided into two or morecompartments when the mattress is reduced in thickness in the center, asand for the purpose described.

' In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in thepresence of two subscribin g witnesses.

LOUIS BAUHOEFER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WILLIAMS, HENRY HAUER.

